Chapter 129: Chapter 128: Power of Incense and Candlelight: Condensing Celestial Soldiers and Generals?

"Daluo Palace isn’t even open yet, and people are already burning incense to worship the gods?" Gu Zhao looked at the scattered incense ash on the ground by the mountain gate.

Zhuo Qingyan pointed to the Spirit Official Hall up the mountain. "There’s not much here at the mountain gate. The incense in the Spirit Official Hall is much stronger. The Wang Spirit Official Divine Statue has already collected quite a bit of incense."

"Oh, really? I didn’t even notice," Gu Zhao said. "Let’s go. We’ll head up and take a look."

So, Gu Zhao led Zhuo Qingyan and Huang Yuan up the steps to the Spirit Official Hall.

It had to be said, with the addition of fresh reinforcements, the construction speed of Daluo Palace had taken off. Besides the Spirit Official Hall, even the Four Imperial Lords Hall behind it and the side halls on either flank were now mostly complete.

But the most abundant incense was still at the Spirit Official Hall. The incense burner in the small square outside the hall was filled with burnt ash, the scent of sandalwood drifted through the air, and an extremely faint Incense and Candle Telekinesis lingered.

When Gu Zhao arrived at the Spirit Official Hall, he found a rather dense Power of Incense and Candlelight gathered on the Wang Spirit Official Divine Statue.

"There’s this much already?" Gu Zhao asked in surprise. This amount of Power of Incense and Candlelight was no weaker than what he had taken from the Golden Wind Divine Statue at the Golden Wind Hall the second time.

And this was all before Daluo Palace had even officially opened; it was the result of the construction workers spontaneously bringing their own incense.

Gu Zhao felt it for a moment, then nodded. "Purple Sandalwood is quite effective at gathering incense."

At this, Gu Zhao looked at Huang Yuan. "It seems you know a lot about incense. Tell me about it."

Huang Yuan was taken aback and couldn’t help but ask, "Sect Leader, what is it you wish to know?"

"Start from the very basics," Gu Zhao said.

Although he had learned some things about incense from Bai Ke and had studied the Golden Wind Incense and Candle Divine Statue when he returned to the modern era, his knowledge was unsystematic. Huang Yuan was the former king of Three Extremes Mountain and had a storied past; he would surely know more than they did.

"The Power of Incense and Candlelight is a wisp of Spiritual Telekinesis produced when devotees burn incense to worship the gods with a sincere and upright heart."

Huang Yuan continued, "Because the common devotees are mere mortals, the Spiritual Telekinesis they produce can only exist briefly by relying on the burning incense powder and the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. That is why it is also called the Power of Incense and Candlelight."

Gu Zhao nodded.

"This Power of Incense and Candlelight is pure Divine Soul Power. It also carries the life force of the Mortal Realm, making it ideal for the Ghost Race to absorb for their Cultivation. It can solidify their Divine Soul, condense their Ghost Body, achieve a state of Yin and Yang in Harmony, and transform Yin Qi into Divinity."

Huang Yuan pointed at the Divine Statue in the Spirit Official Hall. "However, the Power of Incense and Candlelight dissipates quickly after it is generated, so an object is needed to collect and preserve it. The Wang Spirit Official Divine Statue, carved entirely from Purple Sandalwood, can store a great deal of incense."

"Are there any negative consequences to absorbing the Power of Incense and Candlelight?" Gu Zhao asked.

Huang Yuan looked slightly puzzled and shook his head. "I’ve never heard of any."

Gu Zhao sensed the Power of Incense and Candlelight within the Wang Spirit Official Divine Statue. He didn’t feel any lingering obsessions, wishes, or anything of the sort—just pure Spiritual Telekinesis. Absorbing it would supplement the Divine Soul without any side effects.

’That makes sense. It’s already impressive that common devotees, by sincerely and respectfully worshiping a deity, can produce a wisp of Spiritual Telekinesis that benefits the Divine Soul. If they could also imbue it with their obsessions, they would be Cultivators.’

’The idea that incense is poisonous is just a modern-day speculation. If there were truly negative consequences, why would Immortals and Buddhas compete so fiercely for it?’

"Not bad, not bad at all," Gu Zhao said with a nod. "I thought we’d only be able to start collecting incense after Daluo Palace was completed. I didn’t expect everyone to be so devout, worshiping the gods before the temple is even open."

Gu Zhao turned to Zhuo Qingyan. "You should use the incense for your Cultivation. Then you won’t have to worry about accidentally touching a Celestial Spirit Talisman anymore."

Zhuo Qingyan looked at Gu Zhao, her gaze profound, and asked softly, "You’re letting me use Daluo Palace’s incense?"

Gu Zhao smiled. "If you don’t use the incense, are you planning to tiptoe around at home forever?"

"At home..." Zhuo Qingyan gave a faint, charming smile and nodded beautifully. "Alright, I’ll use it!"

Huang Yuan glanced at Gu Zhao, then at Zhuo Qingyan, and took a step back, consciously making himself invisible.

Gu Zhao said to Zhuo Qingyan, "The visits from my sect have ended for now. I’m planning to travel in a few days. I was going to invite you to come with me, but since the palace has incense now, maybe you should stay..."

Zhuo Qingyan shook her head. "I’ve been in the old residence for a very long time. It would be good to get out and travel."

"Then we’ll go together."

"Okay."

...

「The next morning.」

Gu Zhao summoned Taoist Ming Yu—who was still full of energy after a whole night of Cultivation—to the Spirit Official Hall. Pointing at the Spirit Officer Divine Statue, he asked, "The Power of Incense and Candlelight, can you use it?"

Taoist Ming Yu carefully sensed it for a moment, then immediately broke into a smile. "This Power of Incense and Candlelight is practically a holy grail for Concentrating and Refining the Soul. Of course I can use it!"

It wasn’t just Taoist Ming Yu. Even for Quanzhen Disciples like Taoist Yan Song and Taoist Yi Hong, the Power of Incense and Candlelight could enhance their Divine Soul, making it an excellent cultivation resource.

"Not only that, the Power of Incense and Candlelight is also one of the raw materials Zhengyi Disciples use for casting magic."

Taoist Ming Yu smiled, looking very relaxed. "I spoke with my two senior brothers yesterday and learned that the Quanzhen path practices Dual Cultivation of Life and Spirit, which results in abundant True Qi. Because of this, even for many large-scale forms of magic, they use their own True Qi as a foundation to gather the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi for casting.

But when I tried yesterday, I found that for some of my magic, simply gathering Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi wasn’t enough; something was missing. Now, with the addition of the Power of Incense and Candlelight, there are no more worries."

"What kind of magic?"

Not only was Gu Zhao curious, but even Taoist Yan Song and Taoist Yi Hong looked intrigued.

Taoist Ming Yu pointed to the Wang Spirit Official Divine Statue. "This magic might consume a fair amount of the Power of Incense and Candlelight."

Gu Zhao waved his hand magnanimously. "Use as much as you need. Daluo Palace won’t be short on incense in the future."

Taoist Ming Yu laughed heartily. "Then I won’t stand on ceremony."

As soon as he finished speaking, Taoist Ming Yu took a small pair of scissors and a sheet of red paper from his robes.

Everyone: ???

Taoist Ming Yu casually snipped a small paper figure from the red paper. Then, he began to pace in the Yu Step, holding the paper figure steady in his left hand. As he paced and channeled his energy before the Divine Statue, he formed a Sword Pointing with his right hand, guiding the Power of Incense and Candlelight from the statue into the paper figure.

"Supreme Three and Five, Zhengyi Talismanic Register. Answering the celestial stars above, descending to the mortal world as a spirit. Spirit Official of the Xian Capital, Celestial Warrior!"

Taoist Ming Yu chanted the incantation. As the Power of Incense and Candlelight was infused into it, the paper figure in his hand actually began to emit a simple spiritual fluctuation. Then, as Taoist Ming Yu channeled his Magical Power into it, the figure started to absorb the Spiritual Qi from the surrounding air.

Everyone’s eyes began to glaze over as an incredible thought suddenly occurred to them.

A moment later, they watched, wide-eyed, as Taoist Ming Yu tossed the figure into the air. The red paper cutout floated leisurely into the sky, where it was enveloped in a ball of light.

The light grew larger and larger, quickly reaching the size of a person before abruptly contracting. And from within, a figure was revealed!

"Holy shit!?" Gu Zhao and Yunyang swore in unison.

The figure wore chain mail armor, a bronze helmet, and cowhide boots. It held a Ring-Headed Saber, projecting a fearsome and majestic aura. Although its gaze was somewhat dull and its body was slightly transparent, it definitely looked human.

"What the heck is that?" Yunyang couldn’t help but ask.

Taoist Ming Yu’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. He stroked his beard and smiled. "This is from the *Supreme Zhengyi Alliance Authority Reading Talisman*. It’s a Protective Body magic for summoning deities. However, since I can’t summon actual Celestial Gods, I can only use the Power of Incense and Candlelight to form a spirit."

Everyone: ╭(°A°`)╮